


Under the stars

by Prisca



Category: The Faculty (1998)
Genre: Bingo, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 13:31:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11253957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prisca/pseuds/Prisca
Summary: Zeke and Casey spend a great afternoon at the lake, and they don't want to come it to an end





	Under the stars

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: sleeping under the stars

Friday, after school.

„So, any plans for the weekend,“ Zeke asked, resting his legs on the wooden bench in front of him.

Casey shrugged.  
„Dunno. Maybe a movie night in your garage, with pizza and a beer? My parents won't be around tonight, so we don't need to worry about a curfew.“

„Oh. Then we should take advantage out of this freedom and do something special. A road trip maybe?“

„That would be great. I still need some pictures for my new photo project.“  
Casey's eyes sparkled, and Zeke laughed.

„I know a place you will like,“ he said.  
„Do you trust me?“

Of course, he did. He trusted Zeke like no one else. Zeke was his best friend, his confident, the only one who knew him inside out. Since this alien incident at school about a year ago he used to hang around with him. Usually he was not a very sociable guy, but together with Zeke everything was so uncomplicated.

No need to pretend to be someone he wasn't. He didn't like sports, he was not interested in parties. And he had hated the media interest he had gotten after he had killed the alien queen. It had been pure luck and Zeke's scat and Stokely's smart conclusions which had led to her death; he had only been at the right place at the right time and he had done what needed to be done without thinking about it. But they called him a hero who had saved the world. Bitchy Delilah suddenly told everyone that she was in love with him, though she had never taken any notice of him before. And his parents pretended to be proud of him, maybe for the first time in his life.

No one had asked about his feeling because of all this fuss. No one besides Zeke. The hours in Zeke's garage kept Casey sane. The movies, the pizza, chatting about stupid shit. They never talked about the alien queen, nor about the nightmares they both had. It wasn't necessary; they did know what the other was feeling without many words.

:::

The place Zeke took him to was a great one. A small clearing in the middle of the woods. A lonely lake. The water deepblue and too cold to swim. But of course, Casey couldn't resist to put off his shoes and socks and dip his toes into the water. He shuddered visibly, could barely supress an outcry. Zeke only laughed.

„I've warned you,“ he said.

„But it's cool,“ Casey insisted, and hesitating stepped a bit deeper into the water.

„Cool, indeed.“  
Zeke grinned and stretched out on the blanket.  
„Casey, you are a stubborn geek.“

Time seemed to fly, as ever when life was just perfect and nothing could ruin it. They laughed and chatted, they had a picnic with noodle salad, wraps and fresh fruits. Casey made tons of pics while Zeke was sitting on the blanket, flickering through some car magazines. 

When the sun started to sink Casey took some last pictures and sighed.  
„I wish we wouldn't need to go back,“ he said.  
„It's supposed to be a starlit fullmoon night. I bet I would be a great adventure at a place like this.“

„Well, we don't need to.“

„What do you mean?“

„No one is waiting for us. We can make a campfire, fry some fish and just in case the night gets cold I have a comfy sleeping bag in the trunk. Big enough for both of us. Could get pretty romantic.“

Casey kept quiet surprised, his heart suddenly beating faster. This was… strange. Zeke was not a guy for romance, even if he had liked to flirt like mad with the girls at school once. But this was long over; since the alien incident he had changed; he was not the wild rebel anymore who needed to put on a show all day long.

„I did never sleep under the stars,“ he finally murmured when the silence got just too uncomfortable.

„Don't worry, it's safe, as long as you are together with me. I promise to fight off every werwolf who might turn up.“

Casey laughed, feeling relieved. Everything was like it was supposed to be; Zeke was just friendly teasing him as he did so often. 

:::

They stayed awake until long after midnight. Sitting by the campfire, silently watching the stars. Zeke had kept his promise and caught some fish for their diner; Casey had watched him skeptical when he had wrapped them in foil together with some herbage he had found a few steps away from their blanket on the clearing, but finally he had to admit that the result was delicious.

„You are a good driver and even can repair your GTO. You are a brilliant scientist with an own lab in his garage. You can cook.“  
Casey laughed slightly before continuing.  
„Don't tell my mom, but this fish is much better than hers. 

Is there anything you can't do?“

„I'm a miserable photographer.“  
Zeke grabbed his beer and looked at Casey across the fire.  
„And when it comes to talking about my feelings I'm a coward.“

„Ähm, Zeke.“  
Casey suddenly felt dizzy; not sure if it was because of the beer he had had or because of Zeke words.  
„Did you sniff too much Scat today?“

Zeke smirked.  
„You know, I don't touch this stuff anymore. Not after all what is happened at school this Friday night. It has changed everything. You have changed everything.“

„That's outright bullshit, Zeke,“ Casey protested, feeling a lump in his throat.  
„You was there, you know what has happened. Without you, without Stokes, I would have been lost like everyone else. I just put the pen into her eye, but it was your Scat and it was Stokely's idea which made it possible.“

„It was in that night that I saw you in a new light for the first time. The moment you aimed the gun at me. Remember that?“

Casey closed his eyes for a second. No, he didn't want to remember this horrific moment, but of course, he did. 

„It was hot.“

„It was... what???“

„Freakingly hot. The moment when I realized that you are so much more than just the geek with the camera. So strong, so ready to fight for you life. For your future. For all of us. It took some time to realize it, but this was the moment... I fall in love with you.“

Casey almost jumped; the heat was rushing through his body, he blinked wildly.  
„You... what?“

Zeke breathed in deeply.  
„Sorry for freaking you out,“ he murmured, his voice slightly trembling.  
„I've never planned on telling you. It was perfect between us, I've never had a real friend before. Not someone like you; someone I could trust blind. With you I never had to put on a show. 

I thought it would be okay; much more than I ever had before, and I would be able to keep my feelings under control. But it got more and more difficult. We were so close. And tonight… 

You and me and this place. It's perfect for a date, isn't it?"

He paused and shook his head.  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to ruin everything. I can understand if you don't want to deal with me anymore.“

Casey realized that he had stopped breathing while Zeke was talking. Now he took a deep breath, another one, then he got up and went over to Zeke. Dropped onto the old trunk beside him. His heart was up to his mouth when he bent forward. He noticed Zeke hazelnut brown eyes, so close, so full of panic. And suddenly everything was so easy. 

It was just a shy kiss; their lips only touched for a split of a second.

„You know how long I secretly dreamed about it to do this,“ Casey whispered.  
„Long before Mary Beth. The day I saw you for the first time. It was in the parking lot. You were standing beside your GTO, sunglasses on, you were wearing black denim and a longsleeved shirt. 

I already knew that I was not interested in girls like others boys but the feelings you arouse in me were new. And exciting.

I've never dared to hope that you might feel the same."

He paused, looking for eyecontact.  
„This is not just a dream, isn't it?“ 

Slowly Zeke stretched out his hand, brushed a strand of hair out of Casey's face.   
„No, it's not. But I guess we both will need some time to realize that sometimes the reality can be even better than every dream.“

Then he kissed him again, their first real kiss.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> written for Froday Flash Fiction Challenge (Bingo)


End file.
